Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:quant-ph/0106034 · Optical Fiber Communication Conference

Constraints on Eavesdropping on the BB84 Protocol

Gerald N. Gilbert, Michael Hamrick

Published Jan 1, 2001• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

An undetected eavesdropping attack must produce count rate statistics that are indistinguishable from those that would arise in the absence of such an attack. In principle this constraint should force a reduction in the amount of information available to the eavesdropper. In this paper we illustrate, by considering a particular class of eavesdropping attacks, how the general analysis of this problem may proceed.

DOI
10.1364/icqi.2001.pa1

Related papers

Constraints on Eavesdropping Strategies for the BB84 Protocol: Emulation of Count Rate and Photon Number Statistics

Gerald N. Gilbert, Michael Hamrick

APS•Mar 1, 2003•0 citations

Security of quantum cryptography against individual attacks

Boris A. Slutsky, Ramesh R. Rao, Pang-Chen Sun +1 more

An attempt to eavesdrop on a quantum cryptographic channel reveals itself through errors it inevitably introduces into the transmission. We investigate the relationship between the induced error rate and the maximum amount of information the eavesdropper can extract, in both the two-state B92 [B92 refers to the work of C. H. Bennett, Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 3121 (1992)] and the four-state BB84 [BB84 refers to the work of C. H. Bennett and G. Brassard, in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Computers, Systems, and Signal Processing, Bangalore, India (IEEE, New York, 1984), pp. 175--179] quantum cryptographic protocols. In each case, the optimal eavesdropping method that on average yields the most information for a given error rate is explicitly constructed. Analysis is limited to eavesdropping strategies where each bit of the quantum transmission is attacked individually and independently from other bits. Subject to this restriction, however, we believe that all attacks not forbidden by physical laws are covered. Unlike previous work, the eavesdropper's advantage is measured in terms of Renyi (rather than Shannon) information, and with respect only to bits received error-free by Bob (rather than all bits). This alters both the maximum extractable information and the optimal eavesdropping attack. The result can be used directly at the privacy amplification stage of the protocol to accomplish secure communication over a noisy channel.

Physical Review A•Apr 1, 1998•115 citations

Security of quantum cryptography against individual attacks

Boris A. Slutsky, Ramesh R. Rao, Pang-Chen Sun +1 more

An attempt to eavesdrop a quantum cryptographic channel reveals itself through errors it inevitably introduces into the transmission. We investigate the relationship between the induced error rate and the maximum amount of information the eavesdropper can extract, both in the two-state B92 and the four-state BB84 quantum cryptographic protocols. In each case, the optimal eavesdropping method that on average yields the most information for a given error rate is explicitly constructed. Analysis is limited to eavesdropping strategies where each bit of the quantum transmission is attacked individually and independently form other bits. Subject to this restriction, however, we believe that all attacks not forbidden by physical laws are included. Unlike previous work, the eavesdropper's advantage is measured in terms of Renyi information, and with respect only to bits received error-free by Bob. This alters both the maximum extractable information and the optimal eavesdropping attack. The result can be used directly at the privacy amplification stage of the protocol to accomplish secure communication over a noisy channel.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Feb 1, 1998•0 citations

High Dimensional Quantum Eavesdropping: A Hypothetical Attack on BB84 & SSP

Christopher T. Dunne

Quantum key distribution algorithms are considered secure because they leverage quantum phenomena to provide security. As such, eavesdroppers can be detected by analyzing the error rate in the shared key obtained by the parties performing the key exchange. Nevertheless, this paper developed and investigated a novel attack strategy capable of being undetected through error analysis of the shared key. Said attack entails an eavesdropper measuring the quantum channel (i.e., the channel used to transmit quantum particles between two parties) using a higher dimension than that used by the legitimate parties. By measuring a particle in a dimension that spans all possible states in a given quantum key distribution algorithm, the collapsed state of the measured particle should be undetectable when measured in the lower dimension. To analyze the proposed high-dimensional eavesdropping attack, the simulator Cirq was used to model the attack on BB84, a four-dimensional variant of BB84, and the Six-State Protocol. The results of these simulations show the efficiency of this attack, with an eavesdropper being undetectable through quantum bit error rate analysis in each algorithm This promotes the need for further analysis of the high-dimensional eavesdropping attack on physical hardware and other quantum key distribution algorithms

arXiv:2412.08487•Dec 11, 2024•0 citations

Attacks of BB84 protocol in quantum cryptography

Guihua Zeng, Xinmei Wang

An optimal eavesdropping strategy for BB84 protocol in quantum cryptography is proposed. This scheme is based on the `indirect copying'. Under this scheme, eavesdropper can exactly obtain the exchanged information between the legitimate users without being detected.

•Dec 10, 1998•0 citations

BB84 with Both Several Cloning and Intercept-resend Attacks

Mustapha Dehmani, El Mehdi Salmani, Hamid Ez-zahraouy A +1 more

The goal of the protocol QKD BB84 is to allow a transmitter and a receiver which uses a quantum channel to exchange their keys and to detect the presence of eavesdropping attacks. In the present research, we investigate the effect of several eavesdroppers with both intercept-resend and cloning attacks. We will propose the different possible cases of the positioning of the eavesdroppers and their strategies of attacks; also we will calculate the mutual information for each case. The explicit expressions of the mutual information and quantum error clearly show that the security of the exchanged information depends on the numbers of the eavesdroppers and their attacks parameters on the quantum channel.

International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering (IJECE)•Oct 1, 2018•1 citation
An undetected eavesdropping attack must produce count rate statistics that are indistinguishable from those that would arise in the absence of such an attack. In principle this constraint should force a reduction in the amount of information available to the eavesdropper. In this paper we illustrate, by considering a particular class of eavesdropping attacks, how the general analysis of this problem may proceed.
An attempt to eavesdrop on a quantum cryptographic channel reveals itself through errors it inevitably introduces into the transmission. We investigate the relationship between the induced error rate and the maximum amount of information the eavesdropper can extract, in both the two-state B92 [B92 refers to the work of C. H. Bennett, Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 3121 (1992)] and the four-state BB84 [BB84 refers to the work of C. H. Bennett and G. Brassard, in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Computers, Systems, and Signal Processing, Bangalore, India (IEEE, New York, 1984), pp. 175--179] quantum cryptographic protocols. In each case, the optimal eavesdropping method that on average yields the most information for a given error rate is explicitly constructed. Analysis is limited to eavesdropping strategies where each bit of the quantum transmission is attacked individually and independently from other bits. Subject to this restriction, however, we believe that all attacks not forbidden by physical laws are covered. Unlike previous work, the eavesdropper's advantage is measured in terms of Renyi (rather than Shannon) information, and with respect only to bits received error-free by Bob (rather than all bits). This alters both the maximum extractable information and the optimal eavesdropping attack. The result can be used directly at the privacy amplification stage of the protocol to accomplish secure communication over a noisy channel.
An attempt to eavesdrop a quantum cryptographic channel reveals itself through errors it inevitably introduces into the transmission. We investigate the relationship between the induced error rate and the maximum amount of information the eavesdropper can extract, both in the two-state B92 and the four-state BB84 quantum cryptographic protocols. In each case, the optimal eavesdropping method that on average yields the most information for a given error rate is explicitly constructed. Analysis is limited to eavesdropping strategies where each bit of the quantum transmission is attacked individually and independently form other bits. Subject to this restriction, however, we believe that all attacks not forbidden by physical laws are included. Unlike previous work, the eavesdropper's advantage is measured in terms of Renyi information, and with respect only to bits received error-free by Bob. This alters both the maximum extractable information and the optimal eavesdropping attack. The result can be used directly at the privacy amplification stage of the protocol to accomplish secure communication over a noisy channel.
Quantum key distribution algorithms are considered secure because they leverage quantum phenomena to provide security. As such, eavesdroppers can be detected by analyzing the error rate in the shared key obtained by the parties performing the key exchange. Nevertheless, this paper developed and investigated a novel attack strategy capable of being undetected through error analysis of the shared key. Said attack entails an eavesdropper measuring the quantum channel (i.e., the channel used to transmit quantum particles between two parties) using a higher dimension than that used by the legitimate parties. By measuring a particle in a dimension that spans all possible states in a given quantum key distribution algorithm, the collapsed state of the measured particle should be undetectable when measured in the lower dimension. To analyze the proposed high-dimensional eavesdropping attack, the simulator Cirq was used to model the attack on BB84, a four-dimensional variant of BB84, and the Six-State Protocol. The results of these simulations show the efficiency of this attack, with an eavesdropper being undetectable through quantum bit error rate analysis in each algorithm This promotes the need for further analysis of the high-dimensional eavesdropping attack on physical hardware and other quantum key distribution algorithms
The goal of the protocol QKD BB84 is to allow a transmitter and a receiver which uses a quantum channel to exchange their keys and to detect the presence of eavesdropping attacks. In the present research, we investigate the effect of several eavesdroppers with both intercept-resend and cloning attacks. We will propose the different possible cases of the positioning of the eavesdroppers and their strategies of attacks; also we will calculate the mutual information for each case. The explicit expressions of the mutual information and quantum error clearly show that the security of the exchanged information depends on the numbers of the eavesdroppers and their attacks parameters on the quantum channel.